Night Attack.

The hour of the ox.
A lone samurai stands guard outside the compound gate belonging to lord Toji, unaware of the mortal danger posed by the unseen shadow approaching silently along the wall behind him.

Within seconds the samurai lies dead, and after slipping the garrotte into a concealed pocket, the assassin signals to his companions who emerge from the shadows to join him at the gate.

Slowly and oh so quietly, the gate is opened and the lead members of the group enter the small compound,

the tired samurai guarding the front of the main house fails to spot the movement in the shadows, and falls to the ground after being hit in the neck by a deadly and rapidly acting poisoned dart!

Everything is going to plan as the ninja now split into two groups to launch simultaneous attacks on the barracks and main house - their target and his immediate advisors will die this night.

Lord Toji however has been warned of the attack and is fully awake and prepared!
As the doors slide open, Shoda Kizaemon (a senior advisor and sword master) and Azumi Yasoma leap forward with flashing blades into the startled would be murderers -

while over in the barracks, the two shinobi expecting to find a couple of sleeping guards are also shocked to find three fully awake and fully armed samurai warriors ready and waiting for them!

The fighting is fast and bloody, Shoda Kizaemon and two of the samurai guards are cut down, but all five ninja also lie dead.
After the attack, Azumi and the surviving samurai remain with Lord Toji to await the first rays of the morning sun, when they must go and pay their debt of gratitude earned this night.

A little scenario I've played through today as part of the campaign story line, and a token of compensation since I'm going to miss the blog's anniversary.
I'll be away tomorrow and won't get home until Friday, so apologies in advance for my late replies to any comments or queries. The gigs came in at short notice, and have kinda messed up my plans for a "celebratory" post, so I'll make sure I do a belated one asap!
Oh yes, you may have noticed that I've tidied up the blog labels (as previously mentioned, the format was driving me up the wall!), and Blade Runner, England Upturned, Sengoku Jidai, The Dark Conspiracy and Zombie Apocalypse now take you to the respective narrative campaigns - which is where I hope to be focusing from here on, with far less Blether and Painting & Modelling!

"Rescue"

The last of the six scenarios from the Test of Honour "Battle Guide", and here's the briefing given to Tanjiro...
Grateful for your protection, the geisha spy has revealed the whereabouts of your brother, held prisoner by the enemy clan.
You set out to make your rescue attempt, though your thoughts linger on the brave woman who helped you.
With the information she passed on, you are able to approach the location undetected, now is the moment to launch your attack.

Recruitment limit: 24 points.
The Mori clan deploys 12 points of warriors, including Yoshihito, anywhere on the table. The remaining warriors are left off-table as reinforcements. They may enter (after a successful "Test Of Wits") from any table edge other than the one Takeda choose for deployment.
The Takeda clan choose which table edge to enter from and deploy within 3" of that edge.
Takeda will draw the first token.

The Takeda must find the captive and escort him off the deployment table edge to win the game, Mori claim victory if both Takeda samurai are cut down before a successful rescue.

This was the toughest of the scenarios as far as solo play goes - especially selecting the forces to maintain a balance. In the end, I opted to create three different "orders of battle" for the each of the clans and chose two randomly.
Here's the initial set up.....

Yoshihito was deployed in the courtyard, seen here briefing the yumi (bow) and their ko gashira (sergeant). A lone yari (spear) armed ashigaru stands guard at the entrance.
The loyal samurai Muratagi Kozui, ko gashira Tamaki Jiro plus 3 more ashigaru armed with yari and a unit of loyal  yumi formed the off-table reserve.

The Takeda samurai, Murayama Tanjiro and Yoshihara Suzu approached directly along the track, flanked by their ashigaru - yari ko gashira plus two units of yari, and yumi ko gashira plus three individual yumi armed ashigaru.

Tanjiro knew he would have to act quickly to find and rescue his brother before the Mori reinforcements could arrive and add their numbers to the fight......

.......and advanced directly, ignoring the ineffectual shooting from the Mori yumi, and cut down the guard at the entry to the compound. The first of the Mori reinforcements (Kozue and Jiro) arrived on the Takeda right flank, and the ko gashira took the nearest unit of yari to deal with them.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro pushed on and clashed with his arch rival Yoshihito. The Mori samurai blocked and then launched a blistering counter attack, cutting down his opponent before receiving a light wound from a Takeda archer.
The situation at end of turn one.

Seeing his leader fall, Suzu (a "Wise Samuarai" according to his stat card) leapt over the fence and put the bulk of Takeda yari troops between himself and the enemy bowfire. Yoshihito meanwhile, crossed the hedge to assist the flank attack but came up against stubborn resistance from one of the enemy yumi armed ashigaru who continually dodged his attacks.

A single Mori spearman arrived and joined the flank attack, slowly forcing the Takeda yari group back, their ko gashira falling back to the line of the hedge, intending to block the gap in case fresh Mori reinforcements arrived and attempted to attack the Takeda rear.
The situation at the end of turn two.

The Takeda yari group was taking heavy casualties and Yoshihito had finally cut down the brave ashigaru archer (taking another light wound from the yumi shooting at him from the roadway), as Suzu made his way around the back of the house - wisely seeking cover?

After a series of bitter attacks and counters, it was the beginning of the end for the Takeda right flank...

.....but still the remaining ashigaru spearman launched a last-ditch charge against the enemy bowmen in the courtyard.......

 .....as Yoshihito charged the man who had just wounded him!

The Takeda ko gashira failed his "Test Of Honour" for seeing his compatriot cut down, and retreated (off the table) to his shame.

Out of sight of the majority of the action, Suzu had made his way through the house and was about to attempt the rescue....... 

...completely unaware that the rest of his buntai were virtually finished, and the Mori warriors were no longer "distracted" by events outside the courtyard.
The situation at the end of turn three.

As Suzu prepared to dash out and seize the nearest captive, the yumi armed group and the ko gashira were knocking arrows to strings.

A hail of arrows found their mark, and Suzu was cut down before he could set foot outside the doorway, and with him fell any hope of a final victory for the Takeda in this campaign.

The final situation.

The fight had gone terribly for the Takeda - Tanjiro's headstrong heroics as he tried to free his brother was a mistake, though last time the two samurai leaders met in a duel it raged on for quite a while and kept Yoshihito out of the main fight for a significant length of time.
The initial deployment saw the Takeda with a 2-1 advantage, but given the fact they were attacking a "defended position" perhaps the accepted military wisdom of a 3-1 superiority would have been a better decision.

Only half of the Mori reinforcements arrived before the end of the battle, but Kozue, Jiro and the single ashigaru spearman played a significant role by appearing early and effectively pinned the Takeda right flank, slowing the advance to the objective.
On reflection, this scenario was heavily weighted in favour of the captors - I could see very little chance of Yoshihito's men reaching the captives, "searching them" (passing a test of wits) to find the missing brother, and escorting the prisoner back off the original point of entry.

Still, it was yet another action packed and enjoyable game, and the result provides plenty of "plot seeds" for future games..................... Tanjiro and Yoshihito will meet again on the field of combat!
(But after a personal "review" of Test Of Honour, and when the 'heatwave' has finished)

Domo arigato for visiting and reading, and as ever, your comments and queries are invited.
Genki de!

"Breakthrough"

This is the fifth and penultimate scenario in the Test of Honour "Battle Guide" as I work my way through the introduction to the game and build up my miniatures and terrain.

Takeda Briefing:
Though your enemies managed to grab the spy, they still have many miles to travel before reaching the safety of their clan's territory.
You have managed to overtake them and now stand barring their way.

Mori Briefing:
Travelling with the beautiful geisha has been slow and has allowed your enemy to block your path in an attempt to steal her away from you...

The "Recruitment Limit" for the scenario is 21 points as per the previous encounter - since this is obviously an immediate follow-up, I think it makes more sense to keep exactly the same forces as there would have been no time or opportunity to change them.
Perhaps more importantly, I've decided to introduce a house rule "walking wounded" - the warriors cut down in the earlier battle were helped from the field and 'patched up' by their comrades, but will start this encounter carrying a "Light Wound" blood-drop marker.

The Mori deploy with a member of their buntai  escorting the geisha, and the scenario objective for both factions is to keep or take control of the spy and escort her off the opposite table edge.

Yoshihito stepped along the road cautiously, ensuring he could react to any attack from the waiting Takeda warriors, and was not surprised to see Tanjiro striding towards him with a drawn sword in each hand and hate in his eyes!

The two samurai clashed with a flurry of strikes and counter-strikes, the sun glinting from their razor sharp blades and the air ringing with the sound of steel on steel.

Each of the buntai leaders was determined to defeat his opponent, and attacked at every opportunity.
The Mori bowmen had advanced along the roadside fence, and fired at the Takeda leader as the duellists faced each other - missing their target even at such close range.
(This poor shooting was to become a feature of the encounter!)

With both bushi evenly matched, neither of them had managed to penetrate the others defence,  until Tanjiro used a skill given to him by the hands of fate.......

...... his attack caught Yoshihito, but only caused a light wound. Jiro, the ko gashira in charge of the Mori spearmen advanced cautiously behind the hedge and ordered the loyal spears to attack the enemy samurai,

one of their spears finding its way through the warriors defence but only causing a light wound.

As Yoshihita stepped back from the spearmen's attack, the ko gashira leading the Mori archers saw his chance and loosed an arrow........

His aim was good, the samurai failed to dodge the shot, but the arrow narrowly failed to cut him down, but caused a second light wound!
Attempting to seize the advantage, Yoshihito charged again...........

..... only to be repulsed by Tanjiro's dogged counter attack a moment later which evened the score
(2 blood drops each)

The situation at the end of turn one.
The fight on the road has effectively blocked that route for the Mori to escort the spy, and the second Takeda samurai is in a threatening position in that area. The spearmen on both flanks have advanced cautiously, but both groups of bowmen have taken up static positions, looking for opportune targets.

Kozue makes the decision to lead the spy off the road and through the hedge onto the Mori right flank, and try to get her away from the fight.
(Kozue and the experienced spearmen are carrying the blood drops from the previous encounter)

On the opposite flank, the Takeda ko gashira has advanced to threaten the enemy bowmen and his spearmen have charged their squad leader,

who is impaled on the tips of the yari and cut down!
First blood to the Takeda, but it could have been much worse for the Mori if any of the nearby warriors had failed their "Test of Honour" for seeing the ko gashira fall.

The spearmen on the opposite flank advance cautiously towards each other,

and the duel between the two samurai heroes rages on in the centre, as Yoshihito inflicts yet another wound on his enemy!

Yoshihara Suzu, the Takeda "Wise Samurai" lived up to his title, and instead of being drawn into the battle on the road, crossed the hedge and challenged Kozue and the spy.

Jiro charged forward with his yari, but was expertly blocked by the samurai's katana,

while the Takeda spearmen, on seeing the samurai appear on their side of the battlefield, charged their opposite number and managed to despatch one of the group.

The situation at the end of turn two, with everything still in the balance.

Summoning what was left of his failing strength, Tanjiro launched yet another blistering attack on Yoshihito, who was finally cut down in a spray of blood!

Once more, the Mori warriors had to test their courage after seeing their leader defeated and once more they all stood firm - except Kozue, who lost his nerve (and his grip on the spy) and retired away from the bloodshed.

Then, as the fight between the two groups of yari armed ashigaru continued, 

Suzu stepped forward to snatch the unguarded geisha before anyone else could react!

Kozue charged back and attempted to drive off the Takeda samurai, and restore the honour he had so shamefully lost by deserting his duty....

... his impetuous charge allowed him to wound his opponent, but the careless attack allowed a counterstroke (ie he fumbled the damage roll and Suzu struck back).

Suzu now had the initiative and began guiding the geisha spy to safety,

Jiro attempted once more to drive off the samurai,

but was forced back himself by the warriors superior swordplay.

Seeing the wise samurai's attempt to escort the spy away, Tanjiro attacked the Mori spearmen to prevent them becoming involved in the fight over on that flank,

with the Takeda spearmen keeping the Mori bowmen occupied,

it was down to Kozue to try and prevent Suzu escaping with the prize.
He attacked once again and this time drove his opponent back with another light wound.

behind him, the remaining spearman attacked and drove back the Takeda group, also with a light wound - could fate be turning in favour of the Mori again??

The position at the end of turn three.

At this point Tanjiro makes use of one of his skills,

allowing Suzu to put distance between himself and the pursuit,

which Suzu then immediately followed up with his own 'normal' move and escorted the geisha safely from the battlefield !

Situation at the end of the game, which in all truth is basically the same as the end of the previous turn apart from Suzu's triumphant exit from the table - claiming the first victory on behalf of the Takeda buntai!

Another thoroughly enjoyable scenario to play, along with a chance to "field" the two buildings I've added to my collection. These are a pair of 'Country Dwellings' by Plast Craft Games and sold as part of their 'Fukei designed for Kensei' range.

I hope you enjoyed the AAR and will call by again soon for the final episode in this series.